The Dominion. SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1912. THE NEED FOR ECONOMY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1455, 1 June 1912, Page 4

The Dominion. SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1912. THE NEED FOR ECONOMY.

One of the things we have most frequently stressed in ouv campaign against the spurious "Liberalism that has for so many years been working to the moral and material detriment of the New Zealand people has been the alarming carelessness of the Government respecting the rise in expenditure. Partly through the application of the "spoils" policy, and partly through the disregard of economy fostered in the people by the policy of heavy borrowing, the public expenditure in New Zealand has grown at an enormous rate. \\ o have in the past suggested, as a first step towards reform, the establishment of some Parliamentary machinery tp check and examine the estimates of expenditure, and Mr. Masse? must be credited with the fact that a similar suggestion has been put forward from his party. _ Financial reform is one of tho big reforms that must be undertaken very soon'indeed, although Mn. Mackenzie does not nppuar to have considered tlic matter worth a word of notice in any of his speeches. Of special interest and value, therefore, to those who take their politics seriously, is the decision of the House of Commons to set up an "Estimates Committee." The debate-is fully reported in the London 'limca of April 18 last. The motion was brought in by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who said that the Government's action was the outcome of "a very growing feeling of uneasiness as to the:'enormous increase in expenditure during the last in or 20 years, and tho feeling that the House had ■ not that control over expenditure which it was wont to have. I he total expenditure may not appear dreadful to New Zcalanders, who see an annual expenditure of about £10 a head by the Government, but the £4 a head that is now spent in Britain by die Government ip r«- { garded by every, section of hnalith

opinion as thoroughly disturbing., : The British proposal is that at.the beginning of each session one class, of Estimates should be referred toi a Select Committee for examination, and report precedent to the votes being discussed in Committee oi Supply. The Estimates would be ta'&enin turn until they had all been, examined. The Chancellor'did not attijni.pt W minimise the difficulties that would, arise from the fact that finance depends to a great extent upon, policy.; and of course it is essential that thi* Committee would have no control over policy at all. At the sani'eitimc: , there would be plenty of rooni .for, valuable work by the Comnuttee.;. it could scrutinise the spending: of the : Departments and judge of tne-^c'on* , omy and efficiency of the jircfliods; of expenditure. One great .bar to economy has been that which, has e.sisted in New Zealand, namejy; the., fact that deliberate and systenratic: attempts at economy have np.vcr be.en I attempted in Committee of Sup lib's while practical suggestions fcfr, , the , .: reduction of expenditure, ihsolyjng.j no change in the system of auth&ris-', ing it, Tiavc never been m'a.cle-.. Although in Great Britain things ata : : not nearly so bad as in No\v ; Zealand, where the Executive :has. m.ade.. itself almost independent of :P.arl.iament, yet even there the Hojis.e.. hcis : never really controlled expenditjire. Every attempt to reduce cxplpn.diture hits somebody or some consjiju'enpyy i and pressure is brought;. :tO' :bear against such reductions. . So, said the Chancellor, unless the Hpuke. was prepared to support those, who. tooli: these unpleasant duties on thpir shoulders, expenditure would grow without any return accruing) ..Ho: threw out the excellent .suggestion that anybody, who made .a ; p.i-.q"posal' involving increased expnclitjire should be ready with a pro.pos.al; _f:qr. finding the money. In .supporting the proposal the London Times, tiiida a point that Mr. LLOYD-Gfeo'spe had: omitted to make—namplj r , the effefit of the Oommittee's existence, on. the . House's attitude: —

"If wo assume that the Hpjjss is, going, to take more real interest in. ecpnorny and to furnish a strong body.of niemtes of all parties really keen afept .ecb.noniy' apart from politics, there seeirts; .Jq fc 'no , reason why the Select Comnijftee, intlii out arrogating any kind .o.f. /actiial. ..cbiitrol, should not wield a gre.at jaivcl legitimate influence. It might ■crystallise t.ho; economic opinion of the Hougq of , G.omnions in a manner which, 'tlifl- E.xqcutkp cpuld not disregard in -framing. it's..;Lstimates end settling its pplicy,. J.t, itscriticisms were pertinent and; intelligent:, and were backed by a bojly of; ppinipn in the House drawn from all -parties, it : ? influence, though unobtrusive' and- : pefe Imps unacknowledged, might be- Very eon? siderable.

The real reason, of course , , why , the cause pf cccnpmy has ; n.e;«;r- had .a fair chance in our Parliament; is. the , absence of any means whereby wastecan be exactly traced;, Tins' Lloyd-Georoe's mptioh. implies as being true p£ '■■the House; of Commons also, ado.p-; tion of the new Bri.ttsh sS.hem.C' would be pf real value'iri ;oiir siiial-. ler country; and that.it. wpiild, beeasy for a committee, ; : Svifch. ; sub-cp;in-. mittees, if necessary, to.clig:-wel}:;int.Q-the prpvisipnal Estircjates;.and' into, the methpds pf cxpencliturepby.- D.e,-, partments will be adniitted. by ■-.every.,-. bodv, and above all, by Mr. Mackenzie, a handful of unqualified; .fflom whofor the most part have:rip;. : l4no.w.le.c!ge: whatever of economics;' can vsph'O'. the problem of the cost pf. liyivif-in-three-, weeks. But something- mors >viU b.e\ necßSScary. It may be:.'poss.ib.le,|pr a-. Government (we dp Soglinean: ;aiiyparticular Gpvernment at some';tinie|;.te. : clisr:e-; gard the recommendations; : ,;aiid. '?& ports of the Estimates; eommitteej; and perpetuate the evils.'.of- , :the /present system. Policy,;pfbourse, lnugt gp pn—and policy 'iiiay-: mean .an;, absolutely o.f; expenditure, cither wish>o;r, : wiuipuiv a harvest of true na%"har.;exi)insipn ; ; and richness. pw there is every reasqnj-?hyi. : #e.ga.rdr less of pplicy, slackness'a-nd-ipbbe.ry 1 -. should cease to go onV;".l.Y.e w;i : nt an--Estimates Committae, :, .b.ut:. we. %atitj also a new system that'will.'pl'ac.e.tKe.] Civil Service, tlie rail..TCays, , and: tlic. expenditure on public. wbfts; .beyp.nd ,, the reach of the party hand. • In. America Mr. Taft ihas and been able to aration of politics frbm. .■a;dnnni.str'a---tion (which in New tsavebeen inextricably mi.ngl.ed,. as. wcV have shown by masses pla;cps, millions almost automatically at th..qdisposal of an hone.st G'bv:ernmen.ii. Free the politicians-Jrcim, the., necessity of stuffing the Givii-Service mil the Eailway Service,- tlie. -necessity of building unnecessary rii:il€ciy linc3: ; andrunning unneccssa'ry- , iraiiis,. .the , .- necessity of starving -prie'.district■ and , , pampering .tikis,,. , and-. y.oii-. : will cut away a mass, .of was.tp which, : most people will allow,: wiH,eiiablp..| taxation and borrawing to bp r,e- : duced and the country to rqga'ih the : economic health th'§i ''"l&jativa.Y'' rule has so seriously 'The. ex-. Prime Minister h'as: ih'a.d , to adroit; that after 20 years.-pf , ''Ei.b.Qraiism' , ':j loan-dosage alone has- bupyed '.us up.,, as whisky-dosage buoys: up tfic. toper. i